Thursday, 29 September 2011

Happy birthday Davie…Happy Birthday World! Rosh Hashana is also known as the World’s Birthday, and today, Thursday September 29th, 2011, we are celebrating both!

We are all going to attend services with Mom, at Baycrest, and then heading off to our local lake (I love where we live!) to observe Tashlich (casting off your sins). Chabad of Aurora explains the custom at: Tashlich. Daddy will lead us in this custom, after which we will return home for a celebratory Yom Tov meal. My menu is similar to my mother’s before me, with a few minor tweaks to include some newly acquired favourites.

As I mentioned in my second-to-last entry, Mom always made her rib roast for Yom Tov and for Davie’s birthday – a tradition I have carried on. I am proud to say that, after many years of trying, I seem to have finally succeeded in recreating Mom’s perfect roast.

I remember being a little girl and sitting in our kitchen while my mother would ask Daddy to season the roast for her before he left for work – otherwise the spices would trigger an allergic reaction (seriously – 20 sneezes in a row was not unheard of – and nothing to sneeze at! LOL!!). Last night Sara helped me by patting down the spices into Davie’s roast as I shook them on…lo and behold…I started sneezing! No worries, it was far away from any food J.

Although I was never fond of meat, this was one dish we ALL looked forward to…and we would vie for the coveted “ends” which were packed with delicious spices. Mom and Dad would always give them up to the kids – and we would delightedly devour each and every mouthful with creamy (pareve) horseradish. I think Dad is looking forward to tonight’s dinner – he bought 3 bottles for us!

Unfortunately, my mother’s attempts to share her knowledge of meat preparation fell upon my deaf ears, and now that it’s too late to turn to her, I must turn to friends for direction. It is my good fortune to have connected with Norene Gilletz, and joined Norene’s Kitchen (an open FB group where people share recipes and ideas, and Norene regularly shares her tips and tricks with all of us. Check out her group at Norene's Kitchen.) Her advice to me when choosing and preparing a standing rib roast was:

Naomi, when buying standing rib roast, I ask the butcher to remove the ribs but to tie them back on. They will form a rack for the roast during cooking. Use fresh garlic, not garlic powder - the rest is fine. I roast it uncovered 20 to 22 minutes per lb at 350 F. Then I remove it from the oven, tent it with foil to keep warm and let the juices go back into the roast. Wait 20 minutes before slicing.

Mom’s recipe calls for 30 minutes per pound, probably because we like our meat well done. B'Tayavon and Buon Appetito!

Carol’s Spectacular Standing Rib Roast

Ingredients:

·1 standing rib roast (whatever size fits your family)

·garlic powder(I’m afraid to fiddle with the recipe & risk disappointing Davie if it tastes different)

·onion powder

·kosher or sea salt

·pepper

Method: 24 hours before you plan on cooking the roast, rinse and pat dry. Place on “x” of plastic wrap. Rub all seasonings into a layer on all sides of the roast, and then tightly wrap with plastic wrap. Refrigerate for 24 hours. Preheat oven to 350 degrees, and place in roasting pan. Cook, uncovered, for 30 minutes per pound. Remove when finished and tent with aluminum foil until ready to slice.

Wednesday, 28 September 2011

For me, Rosh Hashana is a time to reflect on the year that is coming to a close, and to look forward to all the possibilities of the year to come. In reflecting, I am struck by what an amazing year it has been…in fact, what an amazing 2½ months its been!

It all started a few months ago, when my friend Rosa asked (on FB) for suggestions on where she could find recipes for Shabbat dinner. I suggested Meal-Lean-I-Yumm (no surprise) and included the link for Gourmania (http://www.gourmania.com/). I never could have dreamed of the doors that would open because of an innocent online suggestion!

Norene discovered more fans (Rosa, Aviva and I) and a connection was made. Then, again, by chance, I sat down and started writing this blog. I am not sure how it came to Norene’s attention, but she liked it – and the rest is history. So Rosa, thank you for asking for Shabbat dinner recipes!

About 2 months later, Norene was at a housewarming party where she met my friend, now our friend, Ellin. I don’t know how my blog came up in conversation, but it did, and it gave Norene the idea to make mothers’ treasured recipes the focus of her upcoming feature for the Canadian Jewish News. Can you imagine my surprise, excitement and disbelief when Norene invited me to share one of Mom’s recipes in her article?!?!

Now came the hard part – which recipe? Everything was so yummy, but it had to be something that stood out, that she made for the holidays…and then it hit me – her tsimmes!

I should backtrack just a little - when she first read my blog, Diane - one of my oldest (though she is younger than I J) and dearest friends - told me I had to make sure to write about Mom’s tsimmes. It has to be her all-time favourite dish, and one she learned from my mother long before I did, making it at her dinner parties. The kicker is, Diane isn’t even Jewish…she is Italian Catholic, but still served it along with her more contemporary dishes, and it was a success.

So, I shared Mom’s Tsimmes recipe with Norene, and she wrote a beautiful piece about Mothers CJN (22 Sep 11) pages 38 & 39). Norene - thank you for giving my mother such a lovely acknowledgement, it is appreciated by all of us who love her Y.

And Diane, this entry is for you – see? - I keep my promises! B’Tayavon and Buon Appetito!

Carol’s Terrific Tsimmes

Ingredients:

·8 mdm sweet potatoes (peeled, boiled, mashed)

·1 pkg of pitted prunes, halved

·1 (19oz) can of crushed pineapple in juice

·6-8 thin carrots, (cut in rounds)

·4 tbsp brown sugar

·1/2 tsp ginger powder

·1/4 tsp white pepper

Method: In large mixing bowl, combine all ingredients. Place mixture in 2 2-litre casseroles, cover and refrigerate. It will keep this way for 48 hours. Bake, covered, for 1 hour at 350 degrees. Then uncover and bake for an additional 30 minutes. Once it is baked, it will keep for 3 to 4 days in the fridge.

Tuesday, 27 September 2011

I’ve spent a lot of time with my mother over the past few days – perusing her recipes, touching the recipe cards she once wrote on, and deciding which Yom Tov (holy day) dishes to prepare for the upcoming New Year celebrations.We are forever joined by generations of tradition, and as I spend countless hours in my kitchen, recreating her delicacies, I talk with her, in my heart, sharing my excitement as each dish is completed and our home is filled with ever-familiar holiday cooking smells.

On Sunday I settled in for a cook-a-thon, making Mom’s chicken soup and tsimmes (stay tuned for an upcoming blog about Mom's Tsimmes and Norene Gilletz...2 of my favourite cooks!) and Gloria Kobrin’s mini potato kugels (check out her blog Kosher Cookbook).Last night it was her Bubbie Lou’s currant pinwheels (I know, I’m falling hopelessly behind!) and tonight, it was Mom’s honey cake…passed down from her mother before her.The final line on her recipe card is:

MOM’S ORIGINAL RECIPE

THE BEST

My mother loved all the holidays, and our home was always full of friends, gathered around the dining room table, feasting on her many treats…but I have told you this already in earlier entries.Rosh Hashana (Jewish New Year) was special for her – it was close to many loved one’s birthdays – including her mother and brother…but none was more special to her than her son, David’s birthday.She would combine the holiday treats with his all-time favourite – Standing Rib Roast, and serve the most amazing dinner for all to enjoy.

So, last Thursday evening, while Becca and Jack were in Hebrew School, I went to Sobey’s and met with Danny, the kindest, most patient butcher, who walked me through my menu and helped determine just how big a rib roast I needed for the second night of Rosh Hashana (this Thursday night) which also happens to be Davie’s 41st birthday.After some deliberating and educating (of me, that is), we decided upon just the right roast.At the checkout counter, the cashier and patron behind me began commenting on this huge piece of meat I was buying. I said it was my brother’s birthday present, to which they burst out laughing…was I really giving him a hunk of meat for his birthday?!?!I went on to explain that every year, for Davie’s birthday, my mother would make his favourite rib roast meal as his birthday gift.Now that she is no longer able to make it, I have been working on perfecting her recipe so I can carry on her tradition. They stopped laughing and looked like they wanted to cry…way too much of an emotional roller coaster for a checkout line!!!!Anyways, they loved that this tradition is being carried on, and wished my brother a happy birthday J.

Don't my cooling cakes look like a little family? Mommy & Daddy and 6 munchkins! One for Davie's house for RH Night #1, one for our house for RH Night #2, and 6 mini cakes for Dad to nosh on at his leisure!

So…here we are, approaching September 29th, a birthday shared by the World and my brother, and I am in the final stretch of my cook-a-thon…honey cakes are baking away in the oven, rib roast and chicken breasts are thawing, and I am trying to figure out what I have forgotten to make!I wanted to share my recipes with you, and wish all who are celebrating a very Happy New Year for 5772, filled with only good things.Shana Tova, B’Tayavon and Buon Appetito!

PS – Sara just emerged from her bedroom to announce “I smell honey cake…mmmm”….makes it all worthwhile!

Louise, Carol and (now) Naomi’s Honey Cake

Ingredients:

·4 eggs

·1C sugar

·¾C vegetable oil

·1¼C liquid honey

·1C coffee rich

·1 tsp lemon juice

·3C flour (whole wheat optional)

·2 tsp baking soda

·1 tsp ground nutmeg

·1 tsp ground ginger

·1 tsp ground cinnamon

·1 tsp ground allspice

·1 tsp ground cloves (if you don’t have any, add a second tsp of allspice)

Saturday, 24 September 2011

Happy Birthday Bubbie Lou! She would have turned 93 today! It seems fitting that her birthday marks the point where I set off on my whirlwind of Rosh Hashanah (Jewish New Year) preparations!

What can I tell you about my Bubbie? She was a fashionable, glamorous and beautiful woman, much like my own mother.The gene skipped a generation with me but, thankfully, both our daughters have inherited their foremothers’ great taste and amazing sense of fashion.In fact, these days, I feel like I am living in a continuous episode of “What Not To Wear”!

But Bubbie was much more than a pretty face.She was a mother, grandmother and homemaker supreme…I can remember spending many days in her basement kitchen – which was really a huge room, virtually unfinished, surrounded by upright freezers, ovens and two 8-foot tables which she used to make a multitude of delicacies and special treats for her family.I have to admit it was boring to sit and watch all this cooking and baking happening around me, I would have much rather hung out with my friend Katherine who lived down the street.But now, looking back, I wish I had had the foresight to realize that adult Naomi would value all the tips and tricks Bubbie was trying to share with me…hindsight really is 20-20.

Whenever Bubbie Lou would bake, she made sure to allow everything to cool, and then would carefully lay the cookies out on waxed paper, layer upon layer, stacked in cake boxes and frozen for later enjoyment.I can still see the boxes of Bubbie’s baking stacked in our freezer too!My objective over the next few days is to find room in my freezers for all the baking and cooking there is to do!

Stay tuned, Rosh Hashana preparations will undoubtedly provide me with tons of recipes and memories that are guaranteed to end up on my blog!

Back to Bubbie Lou…one of her all-time best recipes ever – just ask Uncle Jim and Dad –has to be her currant pinwheel cookies.And so, the currants, eggs, flour and sugar are all waiting in the kitchen for me to transform them into a holiday treat later today!

In going through all the recipes in My Golden Recipes (the cookbook that originally inspired me to start this blog) I came across the original Currant Pinwheels recipe, in Bubbie Lou’s handwriting. Check out the comments in this recipe (ie. “enough Crisco to make for a pie crust”)…so different from our exact-measurement-cooking of today.My mother and mother-in-love cook(ed) the same way…by touch and instinct…it seems to me that it was assumed you just knew how much Crisco went in a pie crust – duhhh!

These cookies are meant to be savouredwith a “glaizl (cup) tea”, and surrounded by loved ones (or in front of the TV watching Glee! LOL!!).B’Tayavon and Buon Appetito!

Bubbie Lou's Currant Pinwheels

Dough Ingredients:

·4C flour

·4 heaping tsp baking powder (1 for each cup of flour)

·½C sugar

·1 small tsp salt

·½ lb shortening (½ lb = 8 0z = 1C)

·4 eggs well beaten

·2 tbsp honey (add ½ C hot water to dissolve)

Cookie Ingredients:

·½C sugar

·1 tsp cinnamon

·½C currants

·½C chopped nuts (your choice)

Method: Preheat oven to 350­.Add all other dough ingredients to the beaten eggs, mixing the liquid in a little at a time to make the dough soft enough to handle easily.Add water if necessary.

Divide dough into 3 parts.On a floured surface, roll dough into a rectangle. Combine sugar and cinnamon and sprinkle over dough, then sprinkle nuts and currants.Roll up into a long roll.Cut into ½ inch pieces, and dip in white sugar.

Wednesday, 21 September 2011

My beloved mother, Carol Joy, is one of the millions of people worldwide who has been ravaged by this horrible disease, which is the 6th leading cause of death.

I wanted to take a moment to share a sweet anecdote about Mom...

I popped in (to her nursing home) for a visit yesterday. She was lying on her bed, with her eyes closed and her knees bent, just as I would find her when she was napping in healthier times. For a brief moment, she was her old self. She gave a half smile when she opened her eyes and saw me, but was not easily engaged.

Dad walked in moments later. She looked up, saw his face and an expression of utter joy came across her face. She was so thrilled to see "Moishe", and did not take her eyes off of him for the duration of the visit. When I left, I marvelled at how, 46 years later, theirs really is a love story.

Despite the severity of her illness, she remembers him. Atypical of Alzheimer's Disease patients, my mother remains gentle and loving. Love was the one constant in her world, and if I had to choose one characteristic to describe Carol Joy, my Joychee, it would be her capacity to love. She adored her family and friends, always giving of herself to each of us.

Mom - your love lives on in all of us: your husband, children and grandchildren...We love you...I love you.

And lest we forget the people in our lives who help to care for our loved ones who are afflicted with AD ...Mildred - thank you for taking such amazing care of our wife, mother, and Bubbie. You are so good to her, and we are blessed to have you in all of our lives.

Wednesday, 14 September 2011

If you wait long enough, life comes full circle, as has been the case with my family.

Bubbie Gertie and Zaida Sam had 6 kids…my Bubbie Lou was one of the eldest, and Uncle Paul was the youngest. And so began the bridging of generations.

Bubbie Lou and Zaida Bernie, Mom’s parents, lived on Leopold Crescent in Regina. “Bubbie” Lily and “Zaida” Jack Jampolsky lived 2 doors down. Their daughter, Anita, would later marry my Uncle Paul. The families were close and grew up together.

Fast forward 40 years, and 2 provinces east. Carlo and I became friendly with Michael (Paul and Anita’s son) and his wife Kate, who were living in Toronto. We all came together at Mom and Dad’s for the holidays, and soon started hosting the minor holidays (Channuka) at our homes. Sara was born and then 5 months later Lilyanna came along. They grew up as cousins and playmates, seeing each other on special occasions. Four years later Jack was born, and Rebecca followed 5 months later. Believe me, no prior planning was involved in the timing!!!

Our lives ran parallel courses, with the girls going to the same Hebrew school…and then Carlo and I decided to move...our house sold quickly, and I became frantic as each house we found wasn’t “the one”…I was convinced we would end up living in my parents’ basement, a less-than-thrilling prospect with 2 young kids. Then one night, I came home to discover a new pile of MLS listings, and one of the houses was on Michael and Kate’s street – about 5 houses away, if you took the house numbers into consideration. So we went for a showing, and I could envision my young family growing up in this house…it definitely had the potential to be our home. Lo and behold…it was 2 houses away from Michael and Kate’s, not 5….do you see the circle closing?!

To make a long story short, we bought the house and have lived 2 doors down from Michael and Kate for almost 8 years. Our kids have grown up together, and Jack and Lily have a little sister, Paige, who came along on my dad’s birthday…so many coincidences!

But….the story does not end there...it is really just the beginning…because there was something different with Becca and Jack…this indescribable bond that has strengthened with each passing day. It encompasses Sara, Lily and Paige too, but something stands out where Becca and Jack are concerned. They started Hebrew preschool together at the age of 3, always having each other’s back…and then went on to become the best of friends on the block…playing together after school each day (Jack was at a French Immersion school, Becca was not). Then, 2 years ago, Jack joined Becca at her Hebrew School, and the adventure began!

Jack would join us for dinner on Thursday nights (early dinners are a must - how can you study on an empty tummy??) and he was such a gourmand, always appreciating my cooking. What a pleasure to cook for someone who thought my tried and true recipes were new and delicious!

Last year Becca and Jack started at a new school in our neighbourhood…Kate and I were as excited as the kids, eagerly anticipating their spending the year in the same classes in Hebrew and public school - but it was not meant to be. They were at the same school, but in separate classes. None-the-less, every morning Becca marched to their place for a smoothie made by Kate, and every Thursday (and some Sundays) Jack came over for a pre or post Hebrew school meal.

We assumed this pattern would continue in 2011. So…I dropped Becca to school on the first day, and she was sooooo happy! She was placed in Mrs. D’s class – a teacher she has coveted since last year. I left school, floating on my own little cloud, knowing that Becca was off to a good start. I texted Kate to see how Jack was doing (FYI – both Sara and Lily were starting high school that day so we were running on crazy busy schedules that didn’t quite mesh enough for us to take B & J together) and he was in Mrs. D’s class too!!!!! Yay!!!! Our day just went from great to fabulous! Becca came home to report that she and Jack are even seated in the same table group – life is good.

For those of you who are wondering, Sara and Lily both had fantastic first days at high school, and things only improve for them as the days turn into weeks! And Paige is happily attending school with B & J, and they look in on her at recess, making sure all is well in her world too!

But, the point of this story … no, I did not forget … is that I am getting back into my school year routine of making dinners that translate into leftovers our kids will willingly take for lunch the next day. I pulled out my frittata recipe for dinner last Wednesday…this happens to be one of Jack’s all time favourites - he will eat 2 or 3 generous servings of the frittata every time I make it. So, of course, Becca and I informed Carlo that he needed to send a healthy serving of frittata for Jack’s lunch the next day too. Becca reported that he happily announced to their classmates that this was his favourite when she presented it to him at lunchtime, and I received a text from Kate (or so I thought) asking me for the recipe. Turns out that Jack loves it so much, and decided that Kate was taking far too long to request it on her own, so he took her phone and texted me himself, posing as Kate!

So, Jack, this blog entry is dedicated to you, myhonorary son, so your Mom (who my daughter seems to think is her mom too) can make it for you if I fall down on the job! xxoo B’Tayavon and Buon Appetito!

Method: Cook spaghetti as directed on package. At the same time, sautée the onions, green onions, peppers and mushrooms over medium heat, using either 2 tbsp margarine or canola oil. Beat eggs in large mixing bowl, gradually adding all the seasonings and cheese. Add drained spaghetti and sautéed veggies to the mix and toss.

Spray a large, non-stick frying pan and add mixture, cooking on low heat (4 or 5) for about 5 to 7 minutes. Using a plate, flip the frittata (check to make sure it’s done first, use a spatula to lift the edge, should be light golden brown). Lightly spray the pan before cooking the other side of the frittata. Cook the second side for another 5 to 7 minutes. Remove from heat, and slice (we cut into squares).

Our family like it with a side salad (Greek salad is a favourite) and some Frank’s Red Hot pepper sauce.

Sunday, 4 September 2011

“Are you my mother?” – Mom loved Dr. Seuss and always read his books to us.One of her favourites was “Are You My Mother”, and she would randomly ask me this question, then giggle as her face brightened into a full on smile.Funny, the things you take for granted…that just become a part of who you are.I ask my own girls that same question these days, and they glance at one another with a look of concern on their beautiful faces that asks – “do you think she’s losing it?”.No worries my girls, your day will come soon enough, and you, too, will remember these moments and feel my embrace through the memories.

This entry should be entitled “Are you my cousin?” – allow me to explain…

I started writing this as a way to connect to Mom.I find it so cathartic and comforting.But it quickly took on a life of its own, first the recipes, and then the stories.I wanted to know who she was before she was my mother in order to understand the person she was once I came into her life.

And so, my journey has branched out, and I find myself following a variety of paths that have emerged, trying to take all forks in the road simultaneously.I’ve decided to diarize my complete adventure in this one blog, as all roads lead back to my mother.So, while it may appear that my entries are, at times, disjointed, they are being shared with you as they happen to me, in real time, as part of my every day life.

I recently gained access to an online photo archive prepared by my cousin Jack’s wife, and started searching out photos of my Bubbie Lou’s family, the Pearlmans, to post on my blog.Although I had heard the name Chaliff mentioned before, it never piqued mycuriosity…until I found a photo of Isaac Chaliff in this archive…and something clicked.I realized that he was my Bubbie Lou’s grandfather - I know, it sounds silly, of course he was her grandfather!But he had never been mentioned before.It was as though the rich family history and many stories never went back further than Bubbie Gertie and Zaida Sam. And I had never thought of my Bubbie as a child, teenager or young woman.Now I wanted to discover her too!

I posted some photos on my blog, and set out to find my roots…I joined a Jewish Genealogy website, and entered the limited information I had at my disposal. As I mentioned in an earlier entry, my friend Aviva also has the Chaliff name in her family tree, so I needed to see if we were related.So far, it doesn’t look like there is a family connection.

So, imagine my surprise when I was contacted right away!A lady named Phyllis G. from Indianapolis wrote to me in search of a long-lost branch of her family tree – the family of Isaac Chaliff of Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada.She and her cousin, also Phyllis (but T. this time, hailing from Cincinnati) had been searching for their grandfather’s brother, Isaac, the only sibling of 4 to emigrate from Russia to Canada instead of America.They knew his name, and the names of his wife and children, or most of them, but then the trail went dead.

I proved to be the missing link!Consider all the forces that had to come together to bring us to this point…I start writing a blog, reconnect with a cousin in my search for family photos, stumble upon a photo of my great, great-grandfather and decide to find out where he came from and if I am related to a friend.Within days, I discover a huge family that had been lost to us for 3 generations!There is a word in Yiddish “b’shert”, it means fated or destined.I’ll leave it up to you to decide if this was b’shert or not.But, as I told Carlo yesterday, I believe that the Chaliff siblings – David, Pinchas, Isaac and Devorah are all up there, looking down at us and smiling at the fact that we have reunited over a century later!

So, I have been corresponding with Phyllis G. for a few weeks, and now I have had the pleasure of corresponding with Phyllis T. too.I am eagerly seeking information about my family so that Phyllis T. can fill in the blanks in the vast Family Tree she has built, which sounds incredible.I have to find and download the Family Tree software so I can really sit down and discover my family! Incredibly exciting days ahead!

But, what with cooking?

I know I was planning on making Mom’s pickles this weekend, but I think it is going to have to wait a few more weeks …we have lots of last minute back-to-school stuff to do, piano is starting up again – Becca passed her Grade 5 RCM practical piano exams – YAY!!,Sara is starting high school – oy!, and Yom Tov is around the corner.I need to start baking honey cakes, making chicken soup, and anything else that will freeze ahead of time.

I came across a FB post, from Savvy Mom, on how to make cookie doughs, portion them as though you were going to bake them, but freeze them instead!This was something Mom loved to do, I remember she had a muffin recipe (which I have not been able to locate L) that she would make in bulk, and freeze so she could just scoop out some muffin mix whenever she wanted to whip up a batch for us.So, in the spirit of Carol Joy, that will be my project this weekend, to choose a selection of the kids’ favourite cookie recipes and prepare them for freezing – but don’t worry, I’ll make sure to bake a few for them too!

Wishing you all a wonderfulLabour Day long weekend, and a successful start back to school on Tuesday.B’Tayavon and Buon Appetito!